Deliver Me
by Ms Shay X Pear
Summary: What would have happened if Shiloh had managed to convince her father to save her godmother?  What if Shilo, Mag and Nathan had not gone to the Genetic Opera?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Magdalene Defoe had gone to the Wallace house to talk to her goddaughter.

She was showing Shilo a hologram of her mother when Shilo gasped and ducked around the corner, peaking out from behind it.

Mag slowly turned around to see Nathan standing in door behind her. He didn't look at all happy to see her.

"Hi Nathan… " she said in a soft, tentative voice. He looked just as surprised to see her.

"Mag. How did you get in here? Don't you have a show tonight?" he asked in a distinctly cool voice.

"How are you Nathan?" she asked, a trace of concern in her voice. He looked tired.

"Busy" Nathan said crisply, walking past Mag.

"You never were a man of many words Nate. You told me Shilo died" she said, unable to hide her anger at being lied to all these year.

He stopped and looked around at her. "Listen…" he started to say.

"Nathan. I promised your late wife I'd be present in Shilo's life" Mag pointed out.

"Shilo is very ill. It's not safe for her to see people. I need to give her her medication" Nathan said, starting to go toward the stairs

"Dad. Let her stay in here" Shilo pleaded as she appeared at the top of the stairs.

"No she's leaving" he said firmly, grabbing Mag's arm.

"Please hide her here" Shilo begged, voice clearly showing her fear for Mag.

"From what?" he asked, trying to steer Mag towards the door.

"She'll be dead!" Shilo yelled, tugging frantically on Nathan's arm.

"Nathan you're hurting me" said Mag, trying to tug her arm from his grip.

"My daughter needs a rest" he snapped.

"I'll be fine Shilo don't you fret" Mag said soothingly to Shilo.

"Repossessions are dangerous. You're not safe. Dad she's not safe!" Shilo shrieked, letting go of Nathans arm.

"Shi!" he shouted as she turned and ran up the stairs. He let Mag go, following his daughter.

He heard the door slam and walked up to it.

"Shi…. Please take your medicine" he said pleadingly.

"She will die!" Shilo yelled from behind the door.

"Nonsense" he said firmly.

Shilo opened the door dragging him inside. "Come and see. Mag's in trouble Dad" she said, grabbing a magazine from the table and pushing it into his hands. "A Repo man will come and take her eyes!" Shilo said.

"There are things in life we are best to leave alone" he said, putting it down and walking to the door.

"She'll die! You must help her Dad!" Shilo pleaded, grabbing his arm.

"Shilo this is senseless" he said firmly

"Please Dad you have to try!" she said. She wasn't going to back down without a fight.

"Shilo this is pointless!" he snapped.

She kept pleading and he yelled at her to shut up. She looked rather shocked.

"She was Mum's best friend Dad. What would Mum want you to do?" Shilo said softly.

His expression softened. "Shi I…" he started to say. He knew Marni would hate what he was doing… and would hate it even worse if he harmed Mag. And if he was honest with himself he knew he couldn't bring himself to hurt Mag. He cared too much about her.

Nathan sighed and left Shilo's room. When he got to the stairs he saw Mag had turned to leave.

"Mag… wait…" he said. She froze and then turned around surprise on her face.

"Stay… please" he said as he walked down the stairs.

She looked at him with those striking mechanical eyes. "All right" she said softly.

He took Mag into the living room and poured himself a glass of brandy. "Would you like one" he asked.

"Please" she said, taking a seat in one of the comfortable chairs.

"You never used to drink" he commented as he poured one and sat in the chair next to her.

"That was before I started working for the Largo's…" she said, a trace of irony and bitterness in her voice. She took the glass and sipped it gratefully.

Concern flashed over his face as he took in the tone of her voice but he didn't comment on it.

"They want you dead Magdalene…" he said quietly.

She sighed, taking another sip. "I know… Rotti can't stand to lose his precious songbird" she said bitterly.

Nathan frowned. He hated Rotti. Then man had blackmailed him into a job he detested.

He looked at her. She was dead without him. And he couldn't let that happen.

"Mag… I might have a way to save you…" he said. She looked at him, her expression suggesting she was trying not to get her hopes up.

"How? It's too late for me now…" she said sadly. She knew she had sealed her fate… but she couldn't stand working for GeneCo any longer.

"If they had your eyes… and they thought you were dead… there would be no reason for them to look for you" he said slowly. A plan was forming in his mind.

She looked at him quizzically. "I would rather be blind than Rotti's captive… but how would we convince them I'm dead? We'd have to blackmail a Repo Man…" she said, voice trailing off as she caught his expression. Guilt was all over his face.

Horror overcame her. "Nathan you aren't… tell me you aren't…" she said. Was this the man they had asked to kill her?

"Rotti blackmailed me. He knew that Marni's death was… my fault" he said, voice cracking slightly. "The cure…. should have worked…. but then Marni got worse… I was losing her and Shilo too…" he continued. "I was only about to save one of them…"

He couldn't help looking up to her face. Her expression was full of sadness, concern and even… something like understanding.

"Marni's death wasn't your fault Nate" Mag said softly. "I know you would have done everything you could to save her." He could hardly believe it. Forgiveness. From his wife's best friend.

"And Rotti is a monster. He manipulated both of us. All these years… and you were in bondage as much as I was…" she said sadly. She couldn't bring herself to condemn him when she had 1st hand experience of what Rotti did to people.

He tentatively placed his hand on hers. "You don't know what it means… having someone understand…"

Just then the door opened. Shilo was standing there.

"Does the fact Mag is still here mean you are going to try to help her?" she asked hopefully.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was the morning after the Opera.

Nathan Wallace couldn't help noticing the sky was tinged with red as he made his way over to the GeneCo building.

The building itself was unusually quiet. Even the usually perky Genterns seemed to be in a somber mood.

He went straight to the lift to Rotti's office, not wanting to linger.

The security on the door confirmed his identity and he was buzzed in.

Rotti's large wingback chair was facing away from the door as he walked in. He walked up to the desk and placed a case on it.

"I've completed the assignment you gave me" he said in a businesslike tone.

The chair slowly spun around. He realized with some shock that it wasn't Rotti sitting in it.

It was Amber.

She smirked at the surprised look on his face.  
>"Expecting to see Dad?" she asked. "I'm afraid he's no longer with us. I'm in charge of GeneCo now" she said self-satisfiedly.<p>

"Rotti is dead?" Nathan asked, genuine shock on his face.

"Yes. He died last night… at the Opera" she said. For just a moment her expression clouded over and her voice showed a trace of grief for the man who had raised her.

"I am sorry to hear that…" he said, trying not to show his relief. With Rotti gone maybe Mag and Shilo would be safe.

She frowned slightly then her eyes fell on the case on the desk. "What do we have here?" she asked curiously. She opened the case. Inside were two bright blue mechanical eyes. Her lips curved in a smug grin.

"Did you kill her?" she asked. "Yes" he said, eyes not quite meeting hers.

She gave him a skeptical look but didn't say anything.

"Anyway there was another reason for me coming here" he said quickly. "I wanted to inform GeneCo that I won't be able to continue my duties as Repo Man."

She frowned. "You are leaving us?" she asked. "Yes" he said firmly.

She scrutinized him, eyes on his face.

Then she smiled, leaning back in the chair. She put her feet up on the desk. showing off long tanned legs.

"Could I persuade you to stay… Nathan?" she purred.

For a moment, just a moment he was tempted. But then he remembered whose daughter she was. And for some reason he couldn't get Mag's face out of his head…

"No Miss Sweet. I'm afraid my mind is quite made up" he said firmly. A pout came over her face before she could stop it.

She got to her feet and walked around the desk. She leaned against the desk, eyes on him.

"Someone has gotten to you haven't they?" she said shrewdly. "Your daughter maybe? Or that foolish Opera singer…"

He couldn't help his jaw clenching at the mention of Mag. "Mag is dead…" he said.

Amber laughed. "You aren't that great a liar Nate" she drawled. He bit back an angry retort. He didn't like her calling him what Marni used to call him…. what Mag called him.

She smirked as she watched him trying to control his anger.

"I tell you what… Nate" she said, picking up a piece of paper from her desk. "Get Shilo to sign this document renouncing all claim to GeneCo… and I will let you leave. And I won't send another Repo Man to do the job you didn't fully complete…" she said.

His hiss of breath betrayed him. "You have her eyes" he said, trying to keep voice even.

"Yes but you didn't kill her did you? You are hiding her…" she said.

"If you dare harm her…" he said, his voice changing to his Repo Man growl.

"Oh do you fancy her Nate? Marni would love that…" she smirked.

He tensed, looking like he was inches away from hitting her. She gave him a look that clearly said 'don't you even think about it.' He let out a breath and turned away, trying to calm down.

"Get Shilo to sign that piece of paper Nate…" she said threateningly. "Or there won't be anywhere safe for any of you…."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Nathan Wallace walked through his front door after his visit to GeneCo. He was still thinking about his conversation with Amber.

He knew that if Shilo refused to sign away her claim to GeneCo the three of them would not be safe. Now she had taken over GeneCo Amber had the motive and the power to destroy them all. He knew the other Repo Men would quickly grab any opportunity to curry favor with the new head of GeneCo.

Nathan hung up his coat and went upstairs to check on Mag. She had been asleep when he left. He had heavily sedated her after the surgery the night before, so he wouldn't be surprised if she slept a few more hours.

He quietly pushed open the spare room door. She looked younger and almost fragile asleep, with no makeup on her face and her long dark hair fanned out on the pillow. The sockets where her eyes had been were bandaged and she was wearing an oversized t-shirt of Shilo's.

As he went to close the door she stirred. "Nate?" she asked softly, her head turning towards the door.

Nathan walked into the room and sat next to her on the bed. "Yes it's me. Sorry to wake you" he said.

"You didn't" she said, slowly sitting up. "I wasn't asleep... just resting" she added.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked curiously. "I could smell your uh... cologne..." she said, slightly embarrassedly. He smiled, surprised and rather pleased she had recognized it immediately.

"Are you in any pain?" he asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"A little" she admitted. It felt strange… and painful not having eyes.

A look of concern came over his face. "I'll get you a low dose of Zydrate…" he said.

"No… I don't need any" she said quickly. It had taken him a lot of persuading to get her to let him give her some before he took her eyes. After seeing Amber's hopeless addiction to it… and the lengths she was willing to go to for it… Zydrate had lost all appeal to her.

"Please Mag... I don't want you to be in pain when you don't need to be" he said.

She sighed. "Alright then" she said, unable to say no when she could hear the concern in his voice. It had been along time since anyone had cared about her like that.

He went to go get the Zydrate pills. They weren't as strong as the liquid form but they didn't make the taker so woozy and delirious either.

When he walked back in the room she was sitting on the end of the bed, her expression slightly mutinous. He couldn't help a small smile.

His eyes wandered down from her face to the oversized t-shirt. It was only just long enough to cover everything. "We really need to get your uh... clothes..." he said.

Mag blushed slightly, suddenly aware of what she must look like... no makeup, wearing nothing but a large t-shirt... and no doubt her hair a mess too.

"I can go to your apartment and pick up up a few things... assuming that you want to stay here while you recover?" he said.

"Yes. That would be lovely" she said with a smile. "I would take Shilo with you though... she will probably have more of an idea what to pack" she said, a hint of a grin playing around her mouth.

Nathan chuckled. Something he didn't do it much nowadays... only occasionally when Shilo said something funny or silly. "That might be a good idea" he said dryly.

"Thank you Nate" she said warmly.

"You welcome" he smiled. "Now are you going to be good and take your medicine without a fuss?" he said teasingly.

She rolled her eyes but there was a smile on her lips as she held out her hand. "Give them to me" she said with an air of someone being forced into something. He tipped two of the small blue pills into her hand.

Mag popped the pills into her mouth with an expression of distaste. Her expression slowly relaxed as they started to take effect.

"Better?" he asked, looking at her. "Much" she admitted. It affectively deadened the pain... and her mind was still clear.

"I'll get Shilo to lend you a dressing gown until we can pop by your apartment later" he said. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Starving " she admitted as her stomach gave an audible rumble.

"I'll go whip us up some breakfast" he said and left the room.

She smiled. It felt strange but very nice to be taken care of.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later Shilo and Nathan were letting themselves into Mag's apartment with her key card. Shilo's eyes had widened when she got her first glimpse of it. It was spacious, modern, very elegant and ever so slightly gothic. The view was almost as good as from Shilo's room.<p>

While Shilo looked around the lounge, particularly admiring the state of the art entertainment center... Nathan went into the bedroom.

It was very tidy… so much so that it hardly looked lived in. The large four poster bed was neatly made, the surfaces were spotless and there was no clutter anywhere.

There were on three photos in the room, siting on a shelf near the bed. One was a Mag a little younger than Shilo, smiling innocently at the camera. The second was a few years later… a smiling Marni with her arm around Mag. And the last was Nathan and Marni at their wedding, engrossed in each other, a happy Mag watching with her new eyes.

A lump came in his throat as he looked at the last one. How good things had been before GeneCo took over all their lives. And how much he still missed Marni after all this time.

He quickly looked away from the photos and looked around for a closet. He tried on of the doors but it led to an ensuite bathroom. The 2nd door however led to a walk in closet.

Nathan barely had time to wonder how anyone could possibly need so many clothes when Shilo walked in.

"Wow… do you think she'd let me borrow some of these clothes Dad?" she asked excitedly.

"I dare say so" he said amusedly.

They found a suitcase in a corner of the closet and busied themselves filling it. Shilo had to reject several articles of clothing Nathan picked. He just laughed and said fashion wasn't his area of expertise.

Soon the case was completely full. "I think that's about it" he said, going to snap it shut.

Shilo stopped him. "Aren't we forgetting something?" she said.

He looked at her as if to say 'what could we possibly forgotten?'

She rolled her eyes. "We didn't pack any underwear" she said, going over to some drawers. Luckily she didn't notice him blushing slightly as she grabbed several rather small and lacy undergarments and put them in the case. Then she quickly grabbed a few nightdresses and added them as well.

"Ok… now we're done!" she said brightly.

Shilo had to sit on the case before it would close but they were soon on their way home. Shilo wondered what her Dad was thinking about so hard. He was unusually quiet... even for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A few days later Nathan walked in the front door to sound of a piano being played.

Shilo and Mag were seated at the old piano in the living room. Mag was showing her how to play a song, her fingers flying deftly over the keys despite the fact she couldn't see them.

She looked lovely in a dark red slip dress, her dark hair hanging in loose waves around her shoulders. The white cane he had gotten her was propped up against the side of the piano.

Mag turned toward the door as he stepped into the room, a smile spreading over her face. "Hello Nate" she said brightly.

Shilo looked around. "Hi Dad" she said cheerfully. "Mag has been teaching me to play the piano. She tried to teach me to sing but I'm not any good at it" she admitted wryly.

"You just need a bit more practice" Mag said. Shilo smiled. "Maybe... but I'll never be as good as you" she said. "No one can sing like Mag" Nathan said, making Mag flush slightly at the compliment.

Shilo grinned mischievously and went over to the radio. "Maybe she is on the radio right now..." she said, turning it on.

A new pop/rock song blasted from the sound system and Shilo started to sing along to it. She dragged Nathan to his feet and they started dancing to the song... both doing to outdo each other with goofy moves and laughing.

Mag smiled as she listened to them having fun. The song changed to an old song that was more pop than rock. Mag started tapping her foot in time to the music.

Nathan smiled. "Remember this one Mag?" he asked. She grinned. "Of course... we used to listen to it all the time!" she said.

He walked over to her. "May I have this dance?" he asked with a smile, putting his hand next to hers, palm up.

She nibbled her bottom lip. "You won't let me trip or bump into anything right?" she asked. "Of course not. I won't let go of you" he said warmly.

Mag smiled and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet and took her hands. She felt nineteen again as he danced her around the room, careful not to let her bump into anything.

He spun and twirled her around. "Nate... you're making... me... dizzy..." she said between bursts of laughter. When he stopped she grabbed his shoulders to steady herself. She felt like she was about to fall over but she couldn't remember the last time she had had so much fun.

Just then the music changed to a slow song. He moved a bit closer, putting one hand on her waist and taking her hand with the other.

She smiled as they slowly swayed to the gentle beat of the music.

Nathan couldn't help noticing how beautiful she was, even with the bandages. Why had he never noticed quite how lovely she was before? He could hardly take his eyes off her.

Mag couldn't believe how safe she felt in his arms. She knew he wouldn't let her fall. She didn't trust easily after all she had been though at GeneCo … but she trusted him. And she cared about him too. More than she would care to admit.

She couldn't help moving a bit closer to him and sliding her arms around his neck. His hands moved to rest on her waist.

Both of them were oblivious when the song changed to another slow song. Somehow she ended up with her head resting on his shoulder, his arms around her.

They both jumped slightly when Shilo loudly cleared her throat.

"Would you two like me to leave the room?" she said slyly, a grin on her face.

Mag let him go, cheeks ever so slightly pink. What was she doing? This was her late best friends husband…

"That's alright Shilo…" Nathan said quickly, glad Mag couldn't see the slightly sheepish look on his face.


End file.
